PIN IT FRIDAY FAVS: Pixie Paintsand the Very Best of Pinterest Pins

I received a bottle of Pixie Paint recently from a Paper Source store and decided to bust it out and give it a try to make some background papers! Here are the creations that resulted:

I did a search on Pinterest for some pins based on a "Pixie Paint Cards" search and here's what loveliness came up:

Click HERE for Original Pin

Click HERE for Original Pin

Click HERE for Original Pin

For tutorials, freebies and more info. on these Pixie Paints, check out the blog for the creative designer whose name is on the Pixie Paint bottle! Her name is Julie Comstock and you can find her site HERE. Below is a lovely card sample on her site:

Click HERE for Original Pin

What I love about these shimmery powder paints is that you don't need to be a watercolor artist to create some really cool backgrounds. Thank you, Mel, for introducing me to this awesome way to paint!

Finally...check out this watercolor video tutorial on YouTube that will definitely make you want to pick up a paintbrush and try these techniques out with a cheap watercolor set and some watercolor paper from Michael's:

PIN IT FRIDAY FAVS: Cards from My MUST MAKE Board

I keep a MUST MAKE board on Pinterest that are the pins of projects that I want to make now rather than later. These projects are the ones that caught my eye recently:

First up, a gift card holder and greeting card all in one:

Original Pin HERE

...and a card using SU's Banner Blast stamp set

and coordinating banner punch:

Original Pin HERE

Original Pin HERE

I have this PUNCH POTPOURRI SU set and have never used it!

Original Pin HERE

Original Pin HERE

...and lastly, I do love a simple black and white card:

Original Pin HERE

Now, I just need to carve out some time to make some of these lovely pins! Happy New Year!

CARD DIVA HAPPINESS

Here are the pics from a day

of card making with creative friends!

CARD FROM THE PAST

Last week, my coworker brought a huge box into the office and let me take a peek inside. Inside the box was every card and 3D paper craft item I've given her during the last eight years that we've worked together! What a wonderful walk down Memory Lane as I remembered all of the various layouts, embellishments and papers used on each card project...and just like my scrapbooks through the years, my style continues to evolve and change as new techniques and products come onto the market. Thank you, Donna, for that nostalgic look into my past as a happy little paper crafter!

Here's one of my favorites from that box. The saying was done on my computer and the graphic was a free printable - click on the photo to view at a larger size:

Black and White Classic

Here is a card I gave my friend Rina. I've provided the measurements and a sketch to remember how to assemble the various layers. 

• Begin with a black card base folded in half at the top 
• Adhere the 3/4" x 4 1/4" piece of patterned paper approximately 1/2" down from the top
• Add the center rectangle with the stamped flower (see measurements below)
• Adhere the black lower piece of cardstock on top 
• Finish with a black satin 1/2" ribbon at the top plus gems in the lower right corner
• Place several tiny crystals on the flower for some bling!

This was my one and only version of this card - it's hard to give it away...so I'd better make another similar one because I love it so much! (It's been awhile since I made it and I can't remember the name of the stamp set --- it's that Alzheimer's guy AGAIN!)

Inside View

CARD CLUB PROJECTS

Oh, my! What a fun time I had today making these projects in a Brenda Keenan class! I LOVED every moment of it! Today I learned how to take a needle or tool with a sharp end and pull off small glue dots from a roll so you can place them exactly where you want them ;-)

Perfect Words

This card uses SU's Perfect Words for the sentiment, the scallop punch, the butterfly embosslit, the Adorning Accents embossing folder and the floral paper is from the Garden Party Stack by DCWV from Michael's (using a coupon!).

20,000 Hits in 4 Months!

It's time for some...drum roll please....
SUPER SWEET BLOG CANDY!!! 
I can't thank all of you enough for visiting my new blog here and for attending my classes!
To show my appreciation....
I'm having TWO drawings! 

DRAWING NUMBER ONE for those who subscribe or follow my blog, the winner will receive a package mailed to you filled with approximately $25 worth of paper crafting embellishments plus the card shown below, and...

DRAWING NUMBER TWO for those who register and attend my September 19th Tea Party Class at Scrapbook Island (408-978-8900), you will be entered into a special drawing for this collectible made in England Wedgwood Peter Rabbit bowl below worth approximately $50 plus the card shown above!

THESE TWO RANDOM DRAWINGS will take place on Sunday, September 19th...so...sign up to receive my blog updates (in right column), and if you live in the Bay Area, call Scrapbook Island (408-978-8900) to sign up for my next Paper Crafters' Tea Party Class. (See class details in the right column.)


MANY THANKS to all of the paper crafters who have stopped by my blog for a visit! I hope you found a little something here that might have sparked your creativity and made you smile 

This card was made with the Stampin' Up Garden Collage (retired) set.

I Love Palm Trees!

I got to go to a wonderful card class myself last week given by my very talented friend, Brenda Keenan, and here is one of the cards from the class. FYI details: Stampin' Up Tropical Party stamp set (from the Summer Mini catalog) and Teeny Tiny Wishes, Log Cabin Smooch spray and the SU exclusive Sizzix Square Lattice Embossing Folder for the background. When I showed this card to my friend Alice, she said..."Wouldn't it look cute to put 3 brads in the palm tree to look like coconuts?!"....so I tried it and the answer is "YES!" Here it is with the brads added:

Thank you Brenda and Alice!

Another Bargain Found!

As I was passing through Michael's, I came across a set of ten A2 note cards with envelopes/pkg. in the $1 bins. I wanted to make some more of the cards Alice had shown us how to make (see yesterday's post HERE) so I could finally give some away and keep the original. I was elated when these note cards called out my name (FIVE times in fact)! The envelopes are not that sturdy (I can replace those), but the note cards are of a nice quality. Oh, how I love a GREAT bargain like that! BTW - If you took my baby card class at MLO, you'll recognize the flower punch I used in this card. That punch was cut in half and used as the tuft of hair for the baby in our Sweet Pea card. (It was a punch I also found in the dollar bins!) Note: The center of the flowers was made with craft paint that comes with a fine tip. Alice's Hint: Try practicing on a scrap piece of paper first and let the paint dry completely before placing the card in an envelope...also...the "FRIEND TO FRIEND" sentiment was done on my computer and is not included in SU's Thoughts and Prayers set (which was used for the leaves and branches).